From koalas to kangaroos, Australia’s unusual wildlife has long-captivated North American travellers. To find out which animals people want to encounter most, experts at UK-based tour operator Audley Travel analyzed Google Search data, revealing quokkas as top of the list, with wombats and platypuses rounding out the top three.
“Quokkas are always popular with visitors to Australia as their facial expression often resembles a grin and their inquisitive nature makes them engaging to watch – and easy to photograph,” says Audley Australia specialist Haley Chesna. “They’re no bigger than a housecat, and their petite size adds to their adorableness.”
Travellers will find quokkas in the southwest region of Australia, and Haley recommends Rottnest Island as one of the best places to encounter them, set off the coast of Perth. “You’ll see them in their natural habitat here, scurrying about or snoozing in the shade – while quokkas are nocturnal by nature, a lack of predators on Rottnest Island means they’re out and about more in the daytime.”
In second place is the wombat. These marsupials are surprisingly swift – they can almost run as fast as Usain Bolt.
“Because wombats are primarily nocturnal, one of the best ways to see them is first thing in the morning, when they’re sleepy and moving at a slower pace,” says Haley. “Stay at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge on Tasmania and you might get a chance to see one wandering the trails at the crack of dawn while you head down for breakfast.”
The third most-searched for Australian animal by North American travellers is the platypus. With enormous beaks and flat, paddle-like tails, the waterborne mammal certainly has a distinct look, but not everyone will know that they’re also highly venomous.
“Platypuses are particularly elusive, which makes them all the more sought after,” says Haley. “I link up my clients with an expert naturalist guide who knows all the best secret spots for actually getting a chance to spot one.”
The Atherton Tablelands, set in the rainforests of Queensland, is one of the prime places to see these unusual mammals.
Here’s the full list:
- Quokka
- Wombat
- Platypus
- Koala
- Kangaroo
- Emu
- Tasmanian Devil
- Cassowary
- Echidna
- Dingo
